You’ve all seen window film and the usual applications, but how about some surprising uses for window film? No doubt you can use window film on those big, leaky windows that either let in cold or heat when it’s unwanted. But what about some more creative uses for window film? What about those? We have loads of ideas about window film, and even though we might not be surprised, you could be!

Create privacy in a bathroom

Maybe you had kids and now your bathroom is being used by a whole different set of people (and little people, too!). In that case, you could use window film to block the lower half of your shower to make it more difficult for prying eyes to see in just in case they wander into the bathroom while you’re in there. This not only avoids embarrassment for you, but trauma for the kids! We’ve talked about privacy many times before, and here’s a post you might like: Is Window Film Good for Privacy?

Hide stuff in kitchen cabinets

Your kitchen cabinets might have become more cluttered or else they’re now filled with 10,000 sippy cups. And you don’t want your friends or your own family seeing how disorganized those shelves are. So cover those glass kitchen cabinet doors with window film. They’ll look pretty and you won’t have to replace all the cabinets! Here’s an article with some ideas about how to use window film around the house.

Use decorative film to mirror design elements

Did you know that you can mimic your wallpaper, curtains, or other design elements with window film? We particularly love the rice paper look to give you that Asiantique look in your interior decor. If you have gorgeous antique furniture, why not extend the look to your windows. It can be as subtle as you like with decorative film. 3M has some beautiful window films that can add interest to your windows.

Cover part of a window

You don’t have to cover 100% of a window! If you like the trees outside your window, but don’t want to see the cars on the street, why not cover the bottom half? That way, you’ll still get the benefit of seeing the trees. If you’re worried you might miss something happening outside the windows, you could always install a camera to see cars in your driveway or on your street.

Ready for surprising window film?

You can fill out our Quick Residential Estimate form if you need us to install some window film. Give us a call and we can help you discover other surprises (the good kind, though). We’d love to help you choose the best film. We work all over the greater San Francisco Bay Area, from San Jose to the East Bay to the San Mateo Peninsula and Marin–and have expanded into southern California (Costa Mesa) and Scottsdale, Arizona, too! Give us a call at our San Francisco location at 415.623.8700.

Did you know that you can reduce forced entry into your home, business, or school? Or that you might be able to protect yourself against storms and the glass shards that could result? Or that your glass could be held together in a frame to prevent shattering when it hits the ground? Safety and security window film is all that, and more. Read on to find out what else you can expect.

You might think there’s nothing you can do

If you feel hopeless sometimes with an increase in storms in your area, you can protect yourself. Really. Window film not only protects you and your skin from UV light, it can help protect you against storms. Storms can damage your home and business not only from rain, but also windstorm events and the debris that can pile up afterwards.

Feeling helpless is not an option

Doesn’t it feel better when you take action, rather than feeling victimized? We do! A little preparation now makes you feel more in control when things around you are changing quickly. The climate is changing, and everyone can do a little something to offset those changes. You might like our article about climate change: How does window film battle climate change?

Reduce spontaneous glass breakage

Have you ever seen glass break spontaneously? We’ve seen it, and it isn’t pretty. Often, entire city blocks have to be shut down to clean up the mess and ensure that no one is injured. Although glass is beautiful, when it breaks it can leave an awful mess. Here’s some more info, via Wiki, about spontaneous glass breakage. You can’t always see an imperfection in glass, and occasionally breakage occurs.

Delay intruders

Just a few seconds can thwart an intruder. While window film alone won’t stop an intruder, any delay can make an intruder move onto easier targets. Think about how quickly car thieves can break into a car. The same applies to windows at your home. If a burglar is nervous about someone seeing them enter a home, they’ll move on and try someplace else.

Have more peace of mind

Peace of mind is critical to better sleep, and feeling happier. Less worry about your safety and security helps you feel better in many ways. Why spend your time worrying when there’s something you can actually do to feel that peace of mind? Although we’re big proponents of yoga and meditation, we’re also big fans of window film–in case you hadn’t guessed!

Ready for some safety and security window film?

You can fill out our Quick Residential Estimate form if you need us to install some window film. Give us a call and we can help keep you and your home or business stay safer. We’d love to help you choose the best film. We work all over the greater San Francisco Bay Area, from San Jose to the East Bay to the San Mateo Peninsula and Marin–and have expanded into southern California, too! Give us a call at 415.623.8700.

Planet Earth keeps on heating up. Every year gets hotter, or at least since scientists started recording temperatures. People have been hurt from climate-related causes, so it’s more important than ever to stay cool when the weather heats up. If you want your home to stay cooler, read about these ideas. Maybe one of them will spark your interest.

Run fans instead of AC

If you can add an extra fan or two and keep the AC off (if you don’t need it), you can get some cross-ventilation going. Think of the air bouncing around like the pool ball in a game of pool. Create a path for the air to flow through your home. Push the hot air out if possible, by lining up the fans, letting the hot air bounce out the window or door.

Use dehumidifiers if your air is moist

If you’ve ever lived in a humid climate, you know that moist air feels hotter. You can tell how humid your home is if the word moist makes you feel a little icky. 80 degrees can feel like 100 degrees if there’s humidity! While we all love our houseplants, they can make the air a little too humid. Pull out some of that humidity with a dehumidifier. Here’s some more info about dehumidifiers from Consumer Reports.

Unplug unused electronics

Do you even use that printer any more? Why not unplug it? How about all those weird appliances you bought during the last online sale? Unplug that electric mustache curler, the voice-activated espresso machine, and electric egg cookers. Your power bill will thank you, and your home will stay just a little cooler. And consider decluttering and getting rid of some of those appliances if you don’t use them!

On a similar note, spring is over, but you still might like our article about spring cleaning.

Swap out your light bulbs

Trade your old incandescents for some newer LED bulbs. LED bulbs generate less heat. Did you know that one incandescent light bulb can give out more heat than light? And that the incandescent bulbs are only 2.1% efficient according to this article from North American Power? That means that “for every 100 watt light bulb, only two of those watts is actually being turned into light. The rest is being turned into heat.”

Check your ceiling fan

Is your fan running in the right direction? If not, the hot air might be getting pushed down, causing everything to stay warmer. In the summer, change your ceiling fan so that the blades turn counterclockwise. This article from Home Depot tells you how. Then once the temperature is cooler, change the direction of the ceiling fan blades once again.

Invest in window film

Window film can definitely help, especially on those windows that get the most sun! We’ve written a lot about window film and its ability to keep your home, office, or school cooler. Why not try it? Here’s one of our most recent articles Will New Window Film Improve Your Summer Plans?

Ready for a cooler home?

You can fill out our Quick Residential Estimate form if you need us to install some window film. Give us a call and we can help keep you and your home much cooler. We’d love to help you choose the best film. We work all over the greater San Francisco Bay Area, from San Jose to the East Bay to the San Mateo Peninsula and Marin–and have expanded into southern California, too! Give us a call at 415.623.8700.

Are you feeling a little more jumpy these days and are you considering window film for security purposes? A lot of people are feeling a bit more on edge, so using window film for security is a good idea. Window film can protect your home, your business, and your employees, too. Here are some examples of how you can use window film for security.

Shatter resistance

You can apply window film to make your windows more shatter resistant. You might be in a slightly dangerous area, whether from cars careening into nearby buildings from a busy intersection or break-ins happening in the neighborhood. Sometimes your building could be in the path of a bird migration, and there are films to protect your glass (and the birds!) from that, too. You might like our article Can Technology Save Billions of Birds with Window Film? Earth Day is right around the corner, and of course we always want to protect birds.

Blast mitigation

If you’re in a high-risk area (think government buildings, embassies, and other critical infrastructure), you definitely want to consider the risk of bomb blasts. Window film can hold shattered glass in place and reduce flying shards. This can also be useful for restaurants and shops. If your neighborhood is prone to earthquakes or high winds, window film can also protect you from glass shards shattering and hurting people. With climate change, there have been more high wind events, with some high rises experiences windows breaking.

Forced entry protection

Window film can be applied to make it more difficult for intruders to break through glass, providing an additional layer of security. Intruders and burglars often try to find the easiest point of entry, so why not make it a little more difficult to enter your building? Besides, window film is more cost-effective than other security measures, and it’s invisible, so it doesn’t hurt your aesthetic.

Protection against graffiti

Window film can be applied to protect glass surfaces from graffiti, which can be a costly and time-consuming problem to address. You can also use window film on metal surfaces, such as elevator panels or bathroom mirrors. It’s easier to replace a film than to replace an entire panel of glass or metal.

Privacy

You can obscure views of sensitive areas, such as security control rooms or data centers, or to provide privacy in areas such as locker rooms or restrooms. And in your home, you can use window film to keep your nosy neighbors from peering in. Here’s an article we wrote that includes some privacy tips: How to Make the Most of Your Windows.

UV protection

Window film can be applied to protect people and equipment from harmful UV rays, especially in areas where large amounts of glass are used, like government buildings, courthouses, and so on. We have written about how window film provides UV protection, and can even protect you against skin cancer! The Skin Cancer Foundation says it best: UV Window Film & Tint.

In summary

Overall, window film can be an effective and cost-efficient solution for addressing a wide range of security needs. It can provide an added layer of protection for buildings and people, and helps to deter intruders and other potential threats.

Have questions?

Call us for ideas on the best window film for your security needs. We can steer you to the right choice, and keep you and your clients or friends safe. We’d love to help you choose the best film. We work all over the greater San Francisco Bay Area, from San Jose to the East Bay to the San Mateo Peninsula and Marin–and have expanded into southern California, too! Give us a call at 415.623.8700.